


No Such Thing as Too Much Love

by sweeterthankarma



Category: New Amsterdam (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi, Polyamory Negotiations, Sharpwin Squared
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-18 15:26:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18252626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweeterthankarma/pseuds/sweeterthankarma
Summary: It’s a romantic whirlwind of words and it absolutely floors Helen, even though she knew this was what he’d say. He’d repeated the same sentiment earlier today (and yesterday, and days before) as they began figuring this whole thing out together, but his intensity never fails to mesmerize her. It clearly does the same for Georgia, and Helen can only imagine that’s why she married him. It’s certainly what made her fall for him— and maybe that’s exactly it, perhaps that’s why Georgia is so unsurprised: Max is a very easy person to fall in love with.





	No Such Thing as Too Much Love

**Author's Note:**

> Came up with the idea an ot3 including Max, Georgia AND Helen while watching New Amsterdam months ago and couldn't get the idea to leave my head. I adore Sharpwin but the love between Max and Georgia is undeniable, too, so how great would it be if the writers made them all poly instead of creating a love triangle?! Obviously, my hopes aren't high, especially because this an NBC show, but I imagine Max wouldn't want to choose either of them over each other. Hence, this fic was born.

If you had told Helen Sharpe even a week ago that she’d be sitting in her boss’s apartment — correction, her boss and his  _ wife's  _ apartment — while listening to him propose the idea of a polyamorous relationship between the three of them, she would have sent you to the ED to get checked out for a concussion. 

But no, here she is, and this is what Max is saying:

    “I could never cheat and I would never want to cheat. The issue is, I guess, that I’ve realized that I love so many people in so many different ways and I don’t want to let go of that, not for anyone’s sake. And I don’t even want to be so bold as to call it an issue, because I think my love and appreciation for someone else can not only strengthen me and that relationship, but also strengthen every other bond I have. Georgia, I love you, and Helen, I care deeply about you, in a way that I can’t hide or try to ignore any more. I want to be with both of you.”

It’s like he’s speaking another language.    
Well, actually, no. It  _ should be  _ like he’s speaking another language, but instead, Helen not only understands him completely, but she’s also entirely on board with the concept. 

She’s told him that, as obviously this kind of discussion isn’t one that can occur randomly and without warning. They both knew this was a long time coming, so he’d prepared what to say and Helen had prepared her reaction for multiple scenarios, unsure of how Georgia would respond. 

She watches her now, waiting carefully for her response as her mind fills with questions She’s half afraid and half intrigued as she watches Georgia; she doesn’t fidget, not even with her hands, like Max does. Helen had predicted she would, but it makes sense, actually — she’s always been levelheaded. Isn’t that what Max loves so much about her? 

She’s calm and steady, sitting still, and her gaze on Max is kind and filled with amusement. 

Maybe amusement isn’t the right word — it’s adoration, rather, something so strong that Helen can only label as  _ love.  _ It’s a lot like what she feels for him, too. 

Her words are filled with love too, as they always are. From the eagerness with which Georgia suddenly speaks, Helen has a feeling that Max and her had a conversation prior to tonight’s gathering as well.

    “So, you want to be in an open relationship?” She certainly doesn’t sound opposed to it. In fact, with her eyebrows raised and her lips pressed in a barely there smirk, she looks almost satisfied. She waits for Max to answer, though not without a fleeting glance at Helen. She can tell suddenly that Georgia knows the answer to her question but still wants Max to explain all the rules of this situation, just to be on the safe side, for all of their sakes — and this fact, along with the subtle grin on her face, tells Helen that she’s on board with this too.

    “No,” Max answers firmly, and he speaks with a confidence he uses often at the hospital. It’s familiar to Helen, and with the way that Georgia’s smile deepens, it’s clear that she’s just as acquainted with his affirmations. “I want to be in a relationship with both of you at the same time, and no one else. I want you both to be aware and consenting of what goes on in each relationship, and if you happen to grow closer or feel things for each other, well...that’d be beautiful.”

Max is the one to smile now, his honest eyes hopeful as he looks between the two women before him.

Georgia meets Helen’s eyes directly and her stare is unwavering, though not at all unkind. It’s intimate and daring and Helen blushes, her heart leaping in her chest, suddenly anticipating so much at once.

She wants Georgia to be happy, so much so that her selflessness was one of the things that had stalled her with telling Max how she felt about him. She knew that she could never forgive herself if she ruined things for either of them, but now, maybe she can do the exact opposite — maybe she can make things better for all three of them. 

Plus, Helen had been so caught up in her thoughts about Max that she hadn’t even considered Georgia and all that could grow between them….especially when Georgia keeps looking at her like that.

    “I also want to remind you,” Max continues, “both now and every day — of course, only if we decide that this is the path we want to go on — that I want this not because either of you aren’t enough on your own, but because I love both of you too much to ever let you go. I don’t want to choose between you, because I know that I wouldn’t be happy with one of you alone and not the other.”

It’s a romantic whirlwind of words and it absolutely floors Helen, even though she knew this was what he’d say. He’d repeated the same sentiment earlier today (and yesterday, and days before) as they began figuring this whole thing out together, but his intensity never fails to mesmerize her. It clearly does the same for Georgia, and Helen can only imagine that’s why she married him. It’s certainly what made her fall for him — and maybe that’s exactly it, perhaps that’s why Georgia is so unsurprised: Max is a very easy person to fall in love with. 

    “I just love you both,” Max adds. He shrugs shyly. “If I’m a criminal for having so much love inside of me, then lock me up, I guess. I’m also sorry if this is wildly inappropriate and potentially going to ruin my life, but I had to ask. I just had to.”

It’s the first time in his speech, and throughout this entire process, that Helen has seen Max look nervous. He shouldn’t be, not with the eyes that Georgia is giving Helen or the way that Helen reciprocates, although a bit more tentatively and with more restraint because they haven’t confirmed this whole thing  _ quite  _ yet . The vibe in the room is anything but tense, surprisingly so, but Max is Max, so of course he’s getting serious, stopping to address his feelings, to be truthful and sincere and sensitive. Helen appreciates it, and it also reminds her of how special he is; he isn’t having an affair or saying goodbye to one of the two women that he feels so strongly for. Instead, he’s hoping that the coincidental love he’s been fortunate enough to find can coexist, not only in his own life but with each partner. 

Helen sighs in relief when Georgia speaks first.

    “Okay,” is what she says. Her words are simple and enough, and Max sweeps her into a hug almost instantly. Helen watches them and then stands up, remembering that she’s apart of this now — and what a beautiful, crazy thought that is.

A tear slips down Georgia’s cheek and she presses her cheek against Max’s shoulder. While she doesn’t move, Helen notices the urge in her bones to do so, just in time with her mind as it proposes the idea of reaching over and wiping away Georgia’s tears. It’s a nice thought, something that she realizes she’d quite like to do, and as if she can tell, Georgia gives Helen a smile, her expression softer now. Helen returns it. 

    “You in, Helen?” Max asks, and Helen had almost forgotten that she hadn’t responded. She lets out a deep exhale as she nods, confirming it all with a resounding “yes” and an unashamed grin. She appreciates the reward for her bravery that is Max’s arms circling tight around her, and he holds her close, pressing a kiss to her temple as Georgia watches without a hint of jealousy in her expression. 

    “You’re wonderful,” Georgia says to Helen when she and Max break apart from their embrace. She grabs her hand, covering it with both of hers, and Helen marvels at how their fingers intertwine without any awkward stumbling. 

    “Anyone Max feels so strongly about is definitely someone I can do the same for,” Georgia continues with a squeeze of Helen’s hand. “And besides, after what you’ve done for him— for _us_ _—_ I think I already do.”

    “Likewise,” Helen answers. She can almost feel herself tearing up now, too, emotions overruling her firm sensibilities. Polyamory had never been anything she’d imagined for herself, least of all with two people of such deep emotional capacity, and she has a feeling she’s going to be crying quite a bit in the company of these two, given their nature (but for all good reasons, she hopes.) Helen feels Max’s hand on her shoulder now, either urging her forward to his wife or maybe just reminding her that he’s there. He tends to do that a lot. 

    “You’re wonderful too,” Helen responds. Another tear slips down Georgia’s cheek and this time Helen does move to swipe it away. Her fingertips stay on her jaw, thumb brushing ever so softly against the edge of her lips, and she says more quietly this time, “I’ve always thought that.”

Georgia’s eyes dart down to Helen’s lips, contemplative, and Helen feels the pit of her stomach drop, excited and overwhelmed and still not positively certain that she isn’t in some weird fever dream. But then Max clears his throat and she hears the roughness of the action, the dryness from the chemo, and her doctor brain turns back on, reminding her that the most important thing, really, about this entire situation is that she and Georgia — her girlfriend now, maybe?— take care of their shared love.

    “So, if you both are okay with this…” Max says, checking for confirmation, “then I guess we can go from here and just see where we end up.”

    “How about you end up in the kitchen and we get you to take that medicine you need, huh?” Helen says with only a hint of humor in her tone.

Georgia hums in agreement. “We can make you a dinner smoothie,” she teases, her voice feigning excitement though they all know that nothing featuring the Baby Blender is ever a good thing, at least not when it comes to taste. Max rolls his eyes at the two of them but heads into the kitchen all the same, knowing they’re right.

    “I think this is going to be a good thing,” Georgia says, just to Helen as they follow Max. Helen can tell that she means it, and when she nods, agreeing, she means it too. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this and if I converted you to the Sharpwin Squared (???) ship, let me know! Any and all feedback, kudos, and comments is much appreciated, and you can also talk to me on my Tumblr blog under the same username, sweeterthankarma!


End file.
